Police Authorities: Objectives

Lord Dixon-Smith: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What criteria they use to determine any objectives they set for police authorities under Section 37 of the Police Act 1996; and
	How they measure the cost of any objectives they set for police authorities under Section 37 of the Police Act 1996; and
	What criteria they use to determine any performance targets they set for police authorities under Section 38 of the Police Act 1996; and
	How they measure the cost of any performance targets they set for police authorities under Section 38 of the Police Act 1996.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The criteria for setting the Government's objectives for policing under Section 37 of the Police Act 1996 are that they should focus police authorities' resources on those areas of policing which the Home Secretary considers to be a priority for the forthcoming year. This year's objectives are:
	To help create safe communities by reducing crime, anti-social behaviour and disorder through effective partnership working, including reducing the availability of Class A drugs;
	To reduce the fear of crime in all sections of the community and in particular to increase the trust and confidence in policing among minority ethnic communities;
	To increase the number of offences for which offenders, and particularly persistent offenders, are caught and brought to justice, in partnership with other criminal justice agencies.
	The objectives are set at a strategic level and do not lend themselves to specific cost analysis. It is for each police authority to decide how best to manage its resources to meet the objectives.
	To date, no performance targets for police authorites have been set under Section 38 of the Police Act 1996. However, targets have been set for reductions in domestic burglary, vehicle crime and, in five major cities, robbery under Section 5 of the Local Government Act 1999.

Trafficking in Human Beings

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What sum of money has been recovered for each of the last five years by way of confiscation from those prosecuted for involvement in trafficking in women.

Lord Filkin: At present there is no specific offence of trafficking in human beings and so no data exist about the confiscation of assets of those engaged in this practice. The Government are committed to introducing a specific offence of trafficking in prostitution in the current Nationality Immigration and Asylum Bill. Confiscation figures in England and Wales for all offences other than drug trafficking, as set out below, illustrate the current use of confiscation powers.
	Confiscation orders made under the Criminal Justice Act 1988.
	1997–98
	Number of orders made 170,
	Value of orders made £17.2 million,
	Amounts remitted to Secretary of State £3.5 million.
	1998–99
	Number of orders made 175,
	Value of orders made £12.7 million,
	Amounts remitted to Secretary of State £6 million.
	1999–2000
	Number of orders made 215,
	Value of orders made £28.6 million,
	Amounts remitted £15.7 million,
	2000–01
	Number of orders made 191,
	Value of orders made £20.7 million,
	Amounts remitted £8.1 million.
	The Government have initiated a programme of work to strengthen the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in depriving criminals of their benefit from crime with a view to doubling the amounts recovered from drug traffickers and other serious criminals. The components of the programme are new powers under the Proceeds of Crime Bill, currently going through Parliament, the planned creation under the Bill of an assets recovery agency, the asset recovery strategy which the Government agreed with law enforcement, prosecution and other agencies last autumn; and a grant scheme to help police forces appoint additional financial investigators. The Government have also established the Recovered Assets Fund under which up to half of receipts from recovered criminal assets are available to be recycled into projects under five headings, including the asset recovery strategy.ralph

Trafficking in Human Beings

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What sums of money have been set aside to help victims of trafficking or sexual exploitation.

Lord Filkin: As we set out in the White Paper, Secure Boarders, Safe Haven: Integration with Diversity in Modern Britain, the Home Office is considering what kind of support and advice can be provided to the victims of trafficking and also how we might improve the way in which victims are identified and dealt with by the police and Immigration Service.
	The Government are working with the voluntary sector on the provision of services to victims of trafficking for sexual and labour exploitation and to identify the cost implications of such services. The Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are running a number of prevention projects aimed primarily at raising awareness and educating potential victims (mostly women and children) in the dangers of being trafficked: £3 millon has been given for the International Labour Organisation's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) programme in the Greater Mekong region (parts of Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam). This involves a number of interlinked interventions to raise awareness and prevent trafficking and to withdraw women and children from exploitation and reintegrate them back into their own or new communities.

Asylum Seekers

Lord Dixon-Smith: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many different support arrangements, including transitional support arrangements under the welfare provisions, are in current use for the support of asylum seekers.

Lord Filkin: The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) assumed responsibility for the support of asylum seekers who are destitute on 3 April 2000. The vast majority of new asylum seekers who are destitute are supported directly by NASS. The only exception would be where a newly arrived asylum seeker sought to join the household of a pre-existing asylum seeker who was in receipt of support under the interim scheme by either a local authority or of benefits from the Benefits Agency.
	Some asylum seekers remain supported by local authorities under the interim scheme. This group includes those who applied in country before the NASS system of support was rolled out in their area and port applicants who applied prior to 3 April 2000 who had a negative claim recorded on their application prior to 25 September 2000. Asylum seekers who applied for asylum on arrival prior to 3 April 2000 and who have not received an initial decision on their claim are supported under income support arrangements.
	Unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASCs) are suported by local social services departments in the same way as they do for any other child in need of care.
	The Home Office pays grant, within unit cost limits, to local authorities to meet the direct costs associated with supporting asylum seekers under the interim scheme and of supporting UASCs.
	There are no plans to subsume the number of asylum seekers supported under income support arrangements into the NASS system of support. As these cases receive an initial decision they transfer either directly to the NASS system of support or to the interim scheme. The regulations governing the interim scheme are due to end on 5 April 2004.

Appellate Committee of the House of Lords

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 10 June (WA 3), what are their reasons for concluding that the present arrangements for the hearing of appeals by the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords, and in devolution cases by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, are preferable to the creation of a supreme court for the United Kingdom independent of the House of Lords.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: Our present arrangements work well. I am not aware of any case where the Law Lords' membership of this House has inhibited them from carrying out their judicial functions. That being the case, the Government are not presently persuaded that there is a sufficient case for changing the existing arrangements.

Appellate Committee of the House of Lords

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 10 June (WA 3), whether they have consulted the senior judiciary and legal profession of each country of the United Kingdom before reaching the view that a sufficient case has not been made out for the abolition of the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords and its replacement by a separate new supreme court; if so, what were the views obtained in the course of such consultation; and, if not, whether they will now do so.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: It is for those advocating change to make out the case for it. So far, the Government remain unpersuaded. In the circumstances, they do not feel that a consultation exercise is necessary or desirable. Those advocating both sides of the argument are well able to put their views forward without formal consultation.

Appellate Committee of the House of Lords

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 10 June, what are their reasons for considering that it is inappropriate to create an independent supreme court for the United Kingdom with equivalent resources and facilities to the supreme courts of other common law countries.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: It is not necessarily inappropriate; nor are the current arrangements inappropriate, and they work well. As far as a new supreme court building is concerned, the Government do not presently attach a sufficient public expenditure priority to its creation.

Appellate Committee of the House of Lords

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 10 June (WA 3) whether they will consider the views of the Joint Select Committee on House of Lords Reform before reaching a conclusion as to whether a new supreme court for the United Kingdom should be created, independent of the House of Lords.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The Government are not presently convinced that there is a sufficient case for making a change in the existing arrangements. If the joint committee on reform of the House of Lords makes proposals in this area, the Government would of course consider them.

Guantanamo Bay

Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether officials have recently visited the British detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: British officials paid a third visit to Guantanamo Bay between 27 and 31 May. The purpose of the visit was to ask questions relevant to national security, to confirm the identity and nationality of two British detainees transferred there in May and to check on the welfare of all seven British detainees. The officials were from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Security Service.
	The officials met the detainees individually. US officials were able to observe the interviews. One detainee had sustained injuries in Afghanistan. He and the US authorities confirmed that he was receiving medical treatment for them. The other detainees appeared to be in satisfactory physical health, though some of them complained of ailments which are being addressed. Some detainees raised concerns about their status and other aspects of their detention and conditions at Guantanamo which British officials discussed with the camp authorities. The officials saw no visible sign of mistreatment.
	British officials delivered to the camp authorities letters from some of the detainees' families to be passed to the detainees. Some of the detainees asked the officials to relay oral messages to their families. We have passed them and the details of the detainees' circumstances to their families. Personal details are not disclosed in this Answer for reasons of privacy. The detainees confirmed that they were able to send and receive letters to and from their families through the camp authorities and through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
	All detainees were now housed in recently built indoor accommodation including individual sleeping, toilet and washing facilities and air-conditioning. The detainees confirmed that they were able to practise their religion and take exercise. The detainees also have access to reading and writing material.
	The visiting team found the US camp authorities open and co-operative.
	The ICRC continues to maintain a presence at Guantanamo Bay and has access on demand to the detainees.

EU Internal Market Council: Procurement Rules

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they will make to the Internal Market Council of the European Union on 21 May when it considers new European Union public procurement rules.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government believe that the proposals for amending the EC public procurement rules, which were agreed at the Internal Market Council on 21 May, are consistent with our objectives of simplifying, clarifying and updating the existing EC directives. They will open markets without imposing unnecessary burdens or constraints and will, in particular, be helpful in clarifying the scope to enter into dialogue with tenderers and to make use of electronic systems and framework agreement.

Furniture Fire Safety Regulations: Manchester

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 20 May (WA 79), whether they will publish in the Official Report the text of the Department of Trade and Industry's response to the representations made by the Manchester Evening News about evasions of the Furniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1998 in Greater Manchester, and when they expect to be able to announce the action they are taking on this issue.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The department expects to respond to the Manchester Evening News shortly and copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

Mines Rescue Service

Lord Roberts of Conwy: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will provide financial support for the mines rescue service in South Wales from the surpluses available to them as guarantors of miners' pension funds.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: A statutory mines rescue service is supplied, throughout the country, by Mines Rescue Services Ltd, a private company which derives the bulk of its income through a tonnage levy from the deep-mine companies to which it supplies its services. There are no plans by the Government to provide financial support for these services.

Age of Eligibility for Election to Public Office

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to lower the age of eligibility for election to public office in the light of the age strand of Employment Directive 2000/78.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Employment Directive (2000/78) includes proposals for outlawing discrimination in employment and in vocational training on the new grounds of not only age but also sexual orientation and religion or belief. We have already undertaken widespread consultation in Towards Equality and Diversity to identify what age-related practices employers have and why they might need to retain them. We will be consulting again on a specific set of proposals in the light of responses and legal advice. Differences of treatment on the grounds of age are capable of objective justification under the directive in certain circumstances. The question of whether the age of eligibility for election to public office should be lowered in the light of the directive is one we are considering currently.

Broadband: eEurope 2005

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response to the suggestion from the European Commission, in its eEurope 2005 report, that governments of member states should use regional aid and other financial incentives to boost high-speed Internet to remote and underdeveloped areas where the delivery of broadband would not otherwise be commercially viable.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government welcome the emphasis in eEurope 2005 on the role of competitive markets for broadband. EU structural funds support rural development in less favoured areas and continue to be potentially available for broadband access under the Commission's proposed action plan, provided these do not prejudice competition rules. It remains the decision of devolved administrations and the government offices whether or not to use this source of funding for broadband projects, provided that they meet the criteria set out in the single programming documents agreed for each region.
	The Government set out broadband strategy in the UK Online Annual Report 2001. They have made £30 million available to all RDAs and the devolved administrations for pilot schemes to extend broadband access.

Imports from the Philippines

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which are the top five importers from the Philippines; and what products they import.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: HM Customs and Excise is the department responsible for collecting and recording statistics on the movement of goods with other countries. Information on individual importers and consignments is recorded from Customs documents submitted at import. For reasons of confidentiality, Customs does not as a matter of course publish information at the level of detail required by this Question.
	The main products imported from the Philippines in 2001 were:
	
		
			 SITC Description £ million 
			 Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, nes and  electrical parts thereof 506.8 
			 Office machines and automatic data processing equipment 461.6 
			 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories 64.4 
			 Telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing  apparatus 37.8 
			 Road vehicles 14.6 
			  
			 Total imports 1,198.6 
		
	
	Notes:
	SITC—Standard International Trade Classification.
	nes—not elsewhere specified.
	Source:
	Published Overseas Trade Statistics of the UK.

Illegal Meat Imports

Lord Rotherwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are encouraging enforcement authorities to bring prosecutions before the courts of passengers importing illegal meat; and
	(a) Whether they are encouraging enforcement authorities to bring prosecutions before courts of passengers importing "bushmeat"; and (b) whether 1lb of "bushmeat" brought in from outside the European Union would be sufficient evidence to enable an enforcement agency to bring the offender before the British courts.

Lord Whitty: The position has not changed since my Answer to the noble Lord on 10 May 2002 (WA 203). The decision whether to prosecute in any case must rest with the enforcing authority.
	"Bushmeat" is generally understood to mean meat of wild animals mainly from central and west Africa. Passengers may bring in up to 1 kg of cooked meat in a hermetically sealed container. It is an offence for passengers to bring any uncooked meat from outside the European Union into this country. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species places additional controls on trade in certain listed species, their meat and derivatives. The Government are working to improve inter-agency co-ordination and to provide enforcement authorities with the tools to improve deterrence.

TSE Regulations: Market Value of Animals Slaughtered

The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on 29 May (WA 154), what incentive there is for owners of exceptionally valuable animals to report their suspicion of disease.

Lord Whitty: Scrapie is a legally notifiable disease since January 1993. Receipt of compensation for animals which are showing signs of a serious neurological disorder might be seen as an added incentive to report suspicion of disease.

TSE Regulations: Market Value of Animals Slaughtered

The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 29 May (WA 154), why farmers are expected to take out additional insurance for animals worth more than £400 when the taxpayer will pay compensation for animals up to that level.

Lord Whitty: The ceiling of £400 provides a means to strike a balance between the interests of the taxpayer and those of animal owners. It should be borne in mind that a maximum of £400, in addition to the costs of diagnosis and disposal, is paid as compensation for animals which were showing signs of a serious neurological disorder when they were slaughtered and would very likely have died anyway. It is a reasonable expectation that the loss of animals whose value would not be met by this amount of compensation would be covered by private insurance arrangements.

TSE Regulations: Market Value of Animals Slaughtered

The Earl of Caithness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 29 May (WA 154), whether they will increase the maximum compensation payable from £400 to full market value.

Lord Whitty: Arrangements covering compensation of animals slaughtered as a disease control measure are kept under review.

GM Crops

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government.
	Whether the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' public debate on genetically modified crops will consider philosophical and ethical considerations relating to both GM crops and GM food.

Lord Whitty: The Government want a full and informed debate and are not limiting the issues for discussion. We recognise that there are a number of topics that will be considered and discussed as part of the process.

GM Crops

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which individuals and organisations will be invited to submit representations ahead of and during the proposed GM debate; and whether they will specify how many focus groups will be established.

Lord Whitty: The Government intend that any individual or organisation wishing to contribute to the debate will be able to do so. We are considering the detailed advice provided by the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission on how the debate might be conducted, including its suggested use of focus groups.

GM Crops

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What criteria they will use to determine their decision whether or not to allow the commercialisation of GM crops within the United Kingdom.

Lord Whitty: Before a GM crop can be grown commercially decisions are needed under several different regulatory controls. This includes legislation on the approval of pesticides (if the GM crop is a herbicide-tolerant variety), on the approval of new agricultural plant varieties (the national list), the EU Novel Foods Regulations and the EU directive on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms. Prior to the possible commercialisation of GM crops, the government are also considering the terms on which they might co-exist with non-GM production.

Green Waste

Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps are being taken to encourage local authorities to provide more facilities for the public to dispose of green waste in an effort to bring about recycling of such waste.

Lord Whitty: The Government strongly support composting as a way of getting value from biodegradable waste by improving soil quality and replacing non-renewable products such as peat. We are actively encouraging the composting of green waste—at home, at municipal civic amenity sites and when separately collected by local authorities.
	The Government's Waste Strategy 2000 set a national target of recycling or composting 25 per cent. of household waste by 2005. To ensure that all local authorities contribute towards meeting this target we have set individual statutory performance standards for recycling and composting for all authoritites in England. Authorities are being asked, on average, to double recycling by 2003–04 and triple it by 2005–06.
	We have provided additional financial support to local authorities for waste management. The Spending Review 2000 announced the framework for the Government's support to local authorities up to 2003–04. This included an annual increase in the revenue support to local authorities for environmental protection and cultural services (EPCS), which includes waste management services. By 2003–04 this support will have risen by £1.1 billion over the 2000–01 provision. Consistent with the general local authority financial framework, it is for individual local authorities to decide the proportion of their budget that should be directed to waste management work
	The spending review 2000 also provided a £140 million household waste minimisation and recycling fund for local authorities to help them fund recycling and composting initiatives and meet their statutory performance standards.

Pest and Disease Control

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answers by Lord Whitty on 25 March (WA 24), whether they will provide a list of the research projects funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2001–02 into methods of pest and disease control which do not involve the use of chemical pesticides, including details of the title of the research contract, the institution which was awarded the contract, the value of that contract and the title and date of the completed report and.
	Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Whitty on 25 March (WA 24), what were:
	(a) the total expenditure from the agricultural research budgets for each year between 1995–96 and 1999–2000 spent on investigating methods of pest and disease control which do not involve the use of chemical pesticides;
	(b) the percentage of the agricultural research budget that this represented in each of the years; and
	(c) for each year the title of each research contract, the institution which was awarded the contract, the value of that contract and the title and date of the completed report.

Lord Whitty: Research spending on pest and disease control that does not involve the use of chemical pesticides has been relatively stable over the past five years at approximately £12 million, or 7 per cent. of the agricultural research budget. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provides details of its research projects on its website (http://defraweb/research/projects/default.asap). Details are searchable under project title, year of completion, contractor and policy area. Projects on non-chemical control of pests and diseases are found under the agri-industrial materials, horticulture and potatoes, sustainable arable farming, pesticides, and organic farming policy areas. Full reports of all completed projects are also provided.Lena

Ministerial Cars: GLA Tolls

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 23 April (WA 29), why a Question concerning the manner in which Ministers use their official cars was directed to Mr Matheson, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency, who has no responsibility for the behaviour of Ministers.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The noble Lord's earlier Question was about the effect of the proposed congestion charge in central London on the use of ministerial cars and it was proper, therefore, for Mr Nick Matheson, the Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency, to reply as he has a delegated responsibility under the terms of the agency's framework document for the running of the ministerial car fleet.

London Underground

Baroness Hamwee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Answer by Lord Filkin on 16 May (HL Deb, col. 425), and in the light of the views expressed by Ernst & Young's at paragraph 1.4.3 of the executive summary of their report London's Underground PPPs Value for Money Review dated 5 February 2002, whether they regard the public private partnership contracts for the London Underground, as negotiated, as good value for money, as indicated by Lord Filkin.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: I refer the noble Baroness to the Answer given by my noble and learned friend Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 8 May (WA 184).

London Underground

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their estimate for the return on capital employed with regard to the public private partnership contracts agreed for London Underground.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: It is not possible to make an estimate of the return on total capital employed at this stage. Detailed terms for the third party finance being raised for the Tube modernisation contracts will be finalised as part of the process to financial close on the transactions. To estimate these terms at this stage would risk compromising best value. In addition, there is no guaranteed rate of return for shareholders under the three public private partnership contracts. The payments the private sector infrastructure companies receive from London Underground will depend on the performance they actually deliver. All the money put up by the shareholders will be at risk.

London Congestion Charging

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they endorse the Mayor of London's proposals on inner-London congestion charging.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The particular scheme that the Mayor of London is planning to introduce is his responsibility, not the Government's.

National Air Traffic Services

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proposal they have for the further funding of National Air Traffic Services following the decision not to allow NATS to increase charges to airlines.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: No decision has been taken on NATS' application to increase charges to airlines. The Civil Aviation Authority, NATS' economic regulator, has set out for consultation its preliminary response to the application. NATS and its shareholders are studying the CAA's paper before replying to the consultation.

National Air Traffic Services

Lord Waddington: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are satisfied with the arrangements at airports to deal with the consequences of a failure of the National Air Traffic Services computer system.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Yes. Both airports and airlines have extensive contingency plans for responding to major disruptions, however caused.

Road Improvement

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the estimated planned expenditure by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on road improvement for the current year.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: In the current financial year (2002–03) the Department for Transport plans to spend £698 million on major trunk road schemes and £130 millon on major local road schemes, major schemes being those costing £5 million or more.

Railtrack

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Futher to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 21 May (WA 89), whether they will now consider introducing legislation with a view to the re-nationalisation of Railtrack and the payment of fair compensation to shareholders of the company

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by my noble and learned friend Lord Falconer on 21 May (WA 89). Shareholders will receive the value in the company to which they are entitled. The Government have no plans to pay compensation to shareholders of Railtrack.

Railtrack

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 21 May (WA 89), whether the special railway administrators are the ultimate controlling party of Railtrack plc.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: There is nothing further I can add to the reply given to the noble Lord by my noble and learned friend Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 21 May (WA 89).

National Safety Camera Partnerships

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In respect of recent government guidelines to local authorities joining the national safety camera partnerships concerning criteria on casualties at camera sites and requirements for conspicuous siting: (a) when these were sent to local authorities; (b) when they will be published in full; (c) when they are due to come into force; (d) why they were not published at the same time that they were sent to local authorities; (e) what reduction in accidents the Government expect to achieve by these new guidelines at camera sites; and (f) what reduction in accidents the Government expect to achieve by these new guidelines elsewhere on the road network.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Guidance on safety camera deployment is contained in Circular Roads 1/92. For areas seeking to join the safety camera netting off scheme, the criteria for site selection are made available to local authorities when they form partnerships with the police and magistrates' courts as preparation for entry into the scheme. These criteria form part of the rules and guidance for netting off which is an operational document and is subject to regular update as the netting off scheme progresses. The rules on camera conspicuity and visibility were announced on 3 December 2001. All areas within the netting off scheme must comply with these by the end of June 2002 and for new partnerships at the point they join.
	The first year of netting off in just eight areas achieved a 47 per cent reduction in those killed and seriously injured at camera sites, with an 18 per cent average reduction in the areas as a whole. Similar reductions are expected to be achieved in the areas that are continuing to join the national scheme.

A2 Road

Lord Higgins: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	For how long the main A2 road from central London to the Channel Tunnel and the Channel ports has been blocked; how much time is expected to elapse before it is re-opened; what discussion they have had with the local authorities to whom responsibility for maintenance of the road has been delegated; and whether they will resume responsibility for major trunk roads.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The section of the A2 inside London is the responsibility of the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL). The road is closed at Blackheath because of a large hole on the carriageway. TfL Street Management has been working closely with Greenwich and Lewisham councils to ensure that the road reopens to the public as soon as possible. Further information can be obtained from:
	Peter Brown
	Assistant Director of Street Management Services
	TfL Street Management
	Windsor House
	42-50 Victoria Street
	London SW1H OTL.
	On the A2 outside London there are periodic closures for demolition works in connection with the widening scheme between the A2 at Cobham and Junction 4 on the M2. Clear diversion routes are in place on these occasions to minimise disruption and delays to travellers.